Improvement in bob-sleds



.I. W. DUTY.

'Bob-sleds.

N0. 142,902. PatentedSepfemberlG,1873.

'TINITED STATES PATENT JOSEPH W. DOTY, or LOOKPORT, New YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BoB-sL-Eos.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 142,902, dated September 16, 1873 application filed February 26, 1873.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JosEPH W. DOTY, of Lockport, in the county of Niagara'and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sleds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a plan view, showing my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on line 00 a2; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the socket of the cross-bar of the tongue.

The principal object of my invention is to impart to the connections between the leading bob-sled and bolster, reach, &c., greater stiffness and firmness than have heretofore been attained without diminishing the flexibility of said connections, or in any way embarrassing their action, and also to relieve the king-bolt from twisting or bending strains. It therefore consists, first, in an axle-brace arranged to limit the movement of the fifthwheel axle upon its bearings in the knees second, in the method of connecting the tongue cross-bar to the forward ends of the leading runners, so that said runners may be independent.

That others may fully understand my invention I will particularly describe it.

A is the ordinary bolster, and B is the reach, extending therefrom back to the rear axle, which is not shown in these drawings for the reason that it does not enter into this invention. 0 is the fifth-wheel, laid upon and secured to the axle D, which rests at its ends in the boxes or tubular bearings e of the metallic knees E. The brace F is framed into the axle D, and extends forward therefrom, and is coupled to the tongue cross=bar G by means of a chain or other flexible connection, 9, whereby the movements of said brace up and down are limited, and the motion' of the axle D is correspondingly limited. H H are the sled-runners, which, being pivoted by tubular box 0 to the axle D, are independent of each other, and able to rise up independently to pass over any object in the road. At their front ends the runners H are coupled to the ends of the cross-bar G by means of a slotted ball-and-socket coupling, shown fully in Figs. 3 and 4, where -h represents a concave box or bearing with a slot through its center, and i representsa hemispherical bolt-head resting in said box, and the bolt thereof passing through, and capable of motion in said slot. This manner of coupling permits the front ends of the sled-runners Hto play upor down independent of each gthe, without cramping or twisting the crossmade and usedin connection with independent runner-sleds, but I think such boxes with spokes radiating therefrom and graduated in length, so as to meet the runner at various points, and therefore at varying angles. 1 think it preferable to construct of metal a bifurcated standard or knee, E, supporting the tubular box 0 at its top, and prothe top surface of the runner A,and afford facility for the most secure mode of fastening by bolts passing directly through the runner, and the knee is thereby more stiff and permanent than when secured in any other way; but it is also more easily and cheaply made than other devices of a similar character.

By the above-described mode of construction each runner is free to conform to the undulations of the road, and there can be no cramping or twisting of any of the connections, either between the tongueand runners, or between the runners and axle, or be tween the axle and bolster.

At the front end of the reach B I place a friction-roller, b,'to travel upon the front portion of the fifth-wheel O, and a similar wheel may, if desired, be placed under the reach over the rear portion of the fifth-wheel; this latter I do not think is necessary.

One very particular advantage in the aboveof an unequal distribution of the load,and the turning of the front sled in going around brace F and flexible connection 9 will then limit the rocking of the axle, and the load I am aware that tubular boxes have been have always been made like a wagon-hub,

vided with long feet is, which extend along but described arrangement is this: In the event a sharp angle in the road, for instance, the

will be supported; whereas, otherwise, the sled might break or upset.

Having described my invention what I claim as new is 1. In combination with the rocking-axle D, having the fifth-wheel O secured thereto, the axle-brace F and flexible connection 9, by means of which the rocking of said axle may be limited as desired, all as set forth.

. 2. In connection with the independent runners H, pivoted to the axle D, the cross-bar G combined with ,the hemispherical head i and the slotted ssckct or seat h, all as set forth. V

3. The combination, with the shortlindependent runners H, axle D and single fifthwheel secured thereto, of the reach provided with friction-roller b and the brace F provided with chain 9, all as set forth.

. l J. W. DOTY.

Witnesses:

It. D. 0. SMITH,

GEO. P. BARTLE. 

